Global internet service provider Starlink has introduced a new, cheaper data plan for Kenya.
The Elon Musk-owned satellite internet firm’s new 50 gigabyte (GB) monthly data package costs Kes1,300 ($10.16), less than half the price of Airtel’s similar package at Kes.3,000 ($23.44).
Market leader Safaricom offers a monthly package of 45GB for Kes.2,500 ($19.53).
“Affordable, high-speed internet with 50GB of data included for KSh 1,300/month (opt-in for additional data at KSh 20/GB). Now accepting Mobile Money (M-Pesa, Airtel),” Starlink announced on its website.
However, Starlink subscribers will need to pay Kes.45,500 ($355.47) for installation hardware to access the service, unlike local telcos, which only require users to activate a registered SIM card.
The fees cover hardware kits, including a Starlink dish, a mounting stand, cables, and a power source.
Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX, offers high internet speeds of up to 180 Megabits Per Second (Mbps).
The internet service provider, which offers high-speed broadband to remote areas, entered the Kenyan market in July 2023.
Instead of standard broadband using optic fiber and copper cables, it uses satellites to send internet connectivity signals to users. The company aims to connect many people worldwide in remote areas that traditional internet service providers have not covered.
The Starlink package is expected to bring stiff competition to Safaricom and Airtel in the data segment.
According to the latest disclosures by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), Safaricom controls 63.7 percent of the country’s mobile broadband subscriptions, followed by Airtel at 31.5 percent.
Telkom Kenya holds 1.8 percent, while Finserve (Equitel) and Jamii Telecommunications each have 1.5 percent.
